Dr Santosh G Honavar, India’s Ophthalmologist is conferred American Academy of Ophthalmology’s (AAO) highest award Life Achievement Honor that is given to its members. He is the first Indian chosen for the honour.Dr Santosh G Honavar, India’s Ophthalmologist is conferred American Academy of Ophthalmology’s (AAO) highest award Life Achievement Honor that is given to its members. He is the first Indian chosen for the honour. 
 
The award was formally presented to Dr Honavarat recently at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology held in San Francisco.
 
American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world's largest association of eye specialists. The mission of the American Academy of Ophthalmology is to protect sight and empower lives by serving as an advocate for patients and the public, leading ophthalmic education, and advancing the profession of ophthalmology. Founded in 1896 and headquartered in San Francisco, USA, American Academy of Ophthalmology has 32,000 professional members. 90% of its members are practising ophthalmologists.
 
Dr Santosh G. Honavar, a Hyderabad-based Indian Ophthalmologist was chosen for its highest award to recognize his contributions to the Academy, its scientific and educational programs, and to the advancement of ophthalmology. In a citation announcing the award, the American Academy of Ophthalmology stated that “Dr Honavar’s contributions have been instrumental in supporting the Academy’s mission to protect sight and empower lives.”
 
Responding on receiving the honour, Dr Honavar said, “It is humbling to receive this unique honour bestowed upon me. I am indebted to great ophthalmologists and my teachers and mentors such as Dr Jerry and Carol Shields, Prof NN Sood, Dr Gullapalli N Rao and Dr Mahipal S Sachdev, who have been my role models. I rededicate myself in the duty of treating eye cancers – to save life, salvage the eye and optimize vision.”
 
Formerly the Associate Director of LV Prasad Eye Institute, Dr Honavar currently heads the Department of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery and Ocular Oncology and National Retinoblastoma Foundation at Centre for Sight, Hyderabad.  He leads the Medical Services team and the educational wing - CFS Education. Centre for Sight is the leading network of 54 tertiary care eye hospitals in India and is supported by the Mahindra Group.
 
He is also the Chief Editor of the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. The Indian Journal of Ophthalmology is a 66-years-old monthly, flagship professional medical journal of the All India Ophthalmological Society. The journal publishes articles on ophthalmology and vision science. Dr Honavar has been its editor for 3 years.
 
Dr Honavar leads the International Council of Ophthalmology oculoplasty fellowship curriculum development committee and the oculoplasty section of the residency curriculum development committee. He is also on the ICO panel for ICD-11 and AJCC-8 committee. He recently completed his term as the President of the Asia Pacific Society of Ocular Oncology and Pathology. He is currently the Scientific Program Coordinator of the Oculoplastics Association of India and member of the Oculoplasty Program Committee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr Honavar runs a very active fellowship program in ophthalmic plastic surgery and ocular oncology and has trained over 70 national and international fellows. He also runs the ICO international retinoblastoma fellowship.
 
Dr Honavar is a nationally and internationally acclaimed ophthalmologist. In the past, he was awarded one of the highest recognitions in Indian Science, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award by The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India for his path-breaking research on childhood eye cancer Retinoblastoma. He has also got Jerry Shields Award by the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and most recently the Peter Rogers Oration by the Australian and New Zealand Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeons.
 
Ocular oncology, especially retinoblastoma, has been the principal focus of Dr Honavar and he is known to have contributed to the understanding and treatment of tumors affecting the eyelid, ocular surface, intraocular structures and orbit. Dr Honavar’s overall research contributions have had a very significant impact on the diagnosis and management of retinoblastoma and its outcome. Dr Honavar has extensively published in peer-reviewed journals (over 250 manuscripts with a high H-index of 43) and has written several book chapters while being a reviewer for all the major journals in ophthalmology and oncology. 
 
Some of the major awards and honours to his credit include Col Rangachari Gold Medal by the AIOS, 1992; Zeigler International Fellowship by the Orbis International, New York, USA, 1999; Young Scientist Award by the Indian Society of Oncology, 2000.